"I don't know if I'm in the right frame of mind or not. All of this is really confusing, and really hard to explain. So if you know what to do, I'll do that. I guess talking to one person makes more sense... it's a lot less, well, intimidating." But in all fairness, Dolemeck had good intentions. It's just that between the two of them they have not one iota or psychological knowledge, and Ilya operates under the assumption he's an idiot and everyone, even other kids his own age, will know better than he does what to do.

If he can just figure out how the feeling of being cold all the time and how the dreams of ice tie into things, maybe he can be normal. Maybe they can fix what's wrong with him. It's small, but it's a spark of hope, and he needs that right now, needs something to help him believe in a better future.

"You're really okay with taking time out just for someone like me? I mean, I'm..." Ilya doesn't finish that sentence, unknowingly broadcasting the end of it in his voice, body language and mind: 'I'm not worth it; I'm no one'.